Life raft release device



Oct. 24, 1944. A U. BRYANT 2,360,848

LIFE RAFT RELEASE DEVICE Filed July 28, 1945 4946 FlE-E- ,/-5

INVENTOR ATTORNEY PatentedY Oct. 24, 1944 UNITED ySTATES PATENT OFFICE mesne assignments,

to H.

W. Holt and William Sieverts, bothrof Quincy, Mass. Application July 28, 1943, Serial No. 496,424

4 Claims.

This invention relates generally to releasable coupling devices for use with life rafts and like buoyant life saving devices.

It is an object of the invention to provide a relatively simple device of the above character which is operated automatically by water pressure when the device is immersed, and which canv also be released manually when desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the above character which will not be subject to false automatic operation in response for changes.

An additional object of the invention is to im- 15 which in turn is secured to the pin I1.

prove upon devices of the type disclosed and claimed in Holt and Sieverts Patent No. 2,336,967, granted Dec. 14, 1943, and entitled Life raft releasing device.

Additional objects of the invention will appear from the following description in which the preferred embodiments of the invention have been set forth in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan ViewV illustrating my device applied to the lashing down members employed for retaining a life raft to the deck of a ship.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan View of a device incorporating the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail illustrating the manually re-v movable pin for manual release of the device.

The device as illustrated in the drawing consists of plate-like sections I and II formed of metal ci suitable strength. Section II! can be conveniently made of ,two parts Ilia and Iilb, which are secured together as by welding or rivets I2. Both sections are provided with openings I3 and I4 to facilitate attachment to the lashing down cords commonly employed with life rafts. The part IIIb is provided with an offset portion I6, which in effect provides a bifurcated end portion for the section the adjacent portion ofthe section II may fit, substantially as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3.

The two sections I0 and II are attached together by two pins or bolts I1 and I8, and normally these pins lock the sections together in retracted position permits the separate completely. As shown in Fig. 2 the two pins I1 and I8 are spaced apart a substantial distance, and they are located upon opposite sides of the general line of pull established when lashexample to sudden temperature Y Ill, and into which 45 able diameter made of cotton fiber.

(Cl. Ele-23) in-g cords are attached lthrough the openings I3 and I4. Pin I1 extends through the` openings 2l and 22 inthe section I0, and also engages within the outwardly faced recess 23, formed in the-Section II.

AThe fluid operating means for pin I1 includes a diaphragm 24 which is formed of suitable flexible material, such as leather, or fabric impregnated with a natural or synthetic rubber. The

outer peripheral edge of this diaphragm is shown clamped between a dome-shaped part 26, and a dished mounting 21 which isY rigidly attached to the section I. The central yportion oi the daphragm is attached to the ferrule or fitting 28, Member 21 is shown provided with openings 29, so that the one side of the diaphragm is exposed to the atmosphere and to the pressure of water when the device is completely submerged. Dome 2li` forms a closed air chamber 3| upon the other side of the diaphragm. `Pin I1 is urged towards the engaged position shown in Fig. 3 by the compression spring 32.

The upper end of this spring is shown engaging 25 the metal diaphragm plate 33, underlying the flexible diaphragm 24, while the other end of the spring surrounds and is seated upon a guide sleevef34. The flanged vend 36 of sleeve 34 is attached to the dome 2B by suitable ymeans such as welding or brazing, and the interior of the sleeve is in free communication with the chamber '3I through one or more openings 31.

" For reasons toibe presently explained it is desirable to have a restricted bleed communication between the atmosphere and the chamber 3|.

For this reason pin I1 is shown provided with a central bore 39, the outer end of which communiatmosphere through ducts 4I.

The other end of bore 39 communicates with the 40 interior of sleeve 34 through a duct 42 formed in' the plug 43. The passage formed by bore 39 is Occupied by a iibrous filler 44, the character of which may vary. For example good results have been secured by employing a rope or cord of suit- It will be noted that the inner end of pin I1 extends into the sleeve 34, whereby the pin is guided for easy sliding movement.

Pin I8 extends through openings in section I0 in the same manner as pin I1, and also engages Within an outwardly faced recess 4S provided in section II, and formed the same as recess 23. One end of the pin I8 carries the pull ring 41, to facilitate manual removal. It is desirable to have the pin I8 retained by means which must be broken before the pin is removed. For this purpose it is satisfactory to provide a retention wire 48, in conjunction with a seal 49 formed of lead or like material. Upon twisting the ring 41 the wire or the seal can be readily broken, after which the pin can be removed.

A small lug 50v is shown extending from the offset portion I6. This lug serves to cam against the adjacent edge of part II, when pin I1 is retracted, thus positively forcing recess 46 free of the pin I8.

The -coupling device described above can be used in various ways to retain buoyant life saving devices for either automatic or manual removal. One such arrangement is shown in Fig. 1 in which the buoyant life raft 5I is held down by the cords 52. These cords are attached to the railing 53 of a ships deck, and to the openings I4 in the section II. The openings I3 in section I are shown connected by cords 54 to the deck anchoring 56.

Normally the two sections I0 and I I are locked together in the manner illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. In the event it is desired to release the raft, the pull ring 41 is engaged and the pin I8 removed. This permits the sections I0 and II to completely separate, with these sections first pivyoting about the pin I1, after which recess 23 frees itself. If there should be no manual operation of the device before 'sinking of the ship, water pressure acting upon the diaphragm 24 serves to retract the pin I1, thus likewise causing the sections I0 and -II to separate. Here again immediately following retraction of pin I1 the two sections I I! and I I pivot about the center of pin I8, after which recess 46 frees itself from the vacuum created might cause false operation of the device. With my device however the pressure within chamber 3l remains substantially the same as atmospheric pressure, because of the restricted air flow which may occur through the bore 39. The brous ller 44, while permitting oW of air sufficient to insure equalization of pressures, will suicient flow of Water upon immersion to interfere with proper operation of the device. In other Words the interstices or spaces between the bers will pass air, but tend to retain water by capillary attraction, to retard iiow of water and thus prevent any appreciable lling of the chamber 3| with water before operation.

I claim:

1. In a coupling device for releasably holding together the lashing down members of a life raft, a main section and a cooperating section, each of said sections having a portion of the same adapted for attachment to lashing and being so located that normally a general line of pull is the sections, a bolt or pin movably mounted on the main section and located in a position spaced laterally from the general line of pull, said pin normally interlocking in an outwardly faced recess provided in the manual separation last named portions being formed to be locked upon the lashings.

2. In a coupling device for releasably holding together the lashing down members of a life a cooperating section,

same adapted for attachment to lashings and being so located that normally a general line of pull is established through the sections, said cooperating section being provided with recesses normally spaced on opposite sides of the line of pull and faced outwardly from the same, a bolt or pin movably mounted on the main section and extend into one of said operated means for moving said pin 4to retracted position responsive to of said sections.

3. D1 a coupling device for releasably holding together the lashing down members of a life raft, a pair of cooperating sections each having a portion of .the same adapted for attachment to lashing, means serving to releasably couple said sections together` including a pin movably .carried by one of the sections, said pin when moved to a retracted position serving to permit said sections to separate, a fluid operated diaphragm connected to said pin, means forming an air chamber upon one side of the diaphragm, whereby the other side of the diaphragm is exposed to the pressure of water when the device is submerged, said Ychamber having restricted communication with the atmosphere.

4. In a coupling device for releasably holding together the lashing down members of ya life raft, a pair of cooperatingsections, each section having a portion of the same adapted for attachment to lashing and being so located that normally a general line of pull is established through the same, means for releasably connecting the sections together including a pin movablyy mounted upon one of the sections, a fluid pressure operated diaphragm connected to said pin, means forming a closed air chamber upon one side .of the diaphragm, and means forming serving to connect the interior of .the chamber with the atmosphere, said passage containing a fibrous filler to retard iow of water through the same.

AUSTIN U. BRYANT. 

